Shopping around and choosing.

[futuremsdover]

My wedding is coming up in May (ok, so it's not coming up *too* soon, but it feels like it!) and I'm driving myself crazy trying to find a good videographer. After all, if I do this right I only get one shot at it, right? I've had some success with going down the list on Videographers, Videography, but I'm wondering what kinds of questions to ask your videographer before you hire. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Hannah

[Widget]

Welcome to the forum!!

I can't help you with this subject as we're not hiring one, most certainly won't be able to find the $2,000 for it...

Hopefully someone else can help you out.

Just wanted to welcome you to the forum!!

[Lilyaust]

Welcome to the forum. Feel free to got to the intro section and give us a small introduction of yourself and tell us all about your wedding plans.

[Mez_85]

Hi!!

Welcome to BtB!

I have found a few things that you should ask:

Do you have any video clips online that I can view?
How much experience do you have shooting weddings?
Can we see recent samples of your work?
What style do you film in?
Documentary: events happen naturally.
Staged: the wedding party are put through "corny" routines.
Video Clip: lots of camera movement and effects edited to music.
Many videographer's use a combination of all 3 styles.
Will you be taping my wedding or will it be someone else?
Are your cameras DIGITAL?
The answer should be "yes". If not go somewhere else
Do you use a radio microphone?
Do you use a tripod?
Do you use lights?
both of the above answers should be yes
Can we decide how our video is edited?
How long will I have to wait for my wedding video?
A good videographer should supply the completed video within 6-8 weeks.
How will my wedding videotape be presented?
Your wedding video should be presented in plastic cases(left) with professional looking full colour slipcovers.

These are just a few things, hope it helps!

[blossy]

I'd ask to see an example tape of a full wedding, rather than the standard highlights of several. That way you can get an idea of what your video might be like, start to finish.

Much the same as seeing a whole wedding album, not a highlight album of several weddings when you choose your photographer.

[futuremsdover]

Thank you everyone for all your really great suggestions. I am going to print out that list of questions you wrote. Very very helpful! And thanks for the welcomes. This is such a great place.

[Mary Grace]

I'll add to the above that the issue of lights is a complicated one. It was suggested above that the answer should be yes, that they use them, but it's not that simple.

First of all some churches do not allow lights during the ceremony, just like some churches do not allow flash photography (the very strictest ones don't allow photography at all!). This is something you must check with the church first. Secondly, too much use of extra lights whether during the ceremony or during the reception, isn't good either. It might make it look more like that you are shooting a movie rather than getting married. Extra lights are in many cases necessary but they should be used discretely and not more than what is really necessary.

A third thing to consider with regard to lights is that they produce lots of heat. If your reception site isn't aircon and they follow you with big floodlights all the time you might get roasted...

Other than for lights, one important consideration with regard to video or photography is the issue of backups. What if there is a problem with the equipment ? Do they have adequate backup ? What if the cameraman falls ill - do they have someone else to send ? If you want full backup you may need to hire two separate teams that record the event without depending on each other. That becomes quite costly but I know people who've done that, both with photography and with videography.